ANC calls for probe into City’s delivery
THE ANC in the city is calling for an independent investigation to look into alleged corruption and the failure of service delivery on the part of the municipality amid the collapse of waste management in various communities.
ANC City caucus leader Banele Majingo led a media briefing in Woodstock this week, claiming the City was struggling to provide efficient service delivery.
“Their poor governance leads to poor service delivery and poor communities bear the brunt of the impact of poor governance. The policy shift in any organisation is endorsed by management, therefore, they must all take full responsibility and accountability.
“If you go to Du Noon, it’s dirty, if you go to Elsies River it’s dirty, if you go to Langa it’s dirty, people are living in sewage. Recently we lost lives due to uncollected waste and fires under the DA administration. The DA is limping from one scandal to another, from one failure to another,” said Majingo.
Pressure has also been mounting from political parties for the immediate suspension of urban waste management bosses, executive director Luzuko Mdunyelwa and Mayco member Grant Twigg, who they blamed for the collapse of waste collection services.
A special closed council meeting was held on Monday where mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis tabled a motion to suspend Mdunyelwa.
This comes after an investigation report found that the formation of a new “in-house” model was undertaken with no delegated authority by Twigg and Mdunyelwa and while contractors were hired at a cost of about R500-million to clean up, however, dirt continued to pile up.
There was also high court action against the municipality.
“The report indicates that the executive director was not only involved but responsible for changing the service delivery model, which has resulted in the collapse of the service in informal settlements, without any due diligence,” a report to council stated.
Majingo said the investigation report findings were the tip of the iceberg.
“It’s a manifestation of a deeper systemic problem. Waste remains uncollected across communities because of DA negligence of poor communities. Our people are plunged into squalid living conditions that present a health hazard. They have been in that situation for a very long time, but the City claims to be a caring city,” he said.
The City said it had previously commissioned an independent investigation into waste management services challenges and was following due process in this regard.
“In the interim, new contractors have been appointed where required and additional staff are being deployed to clear waste management backlogs.”
GOOD councillor Lulama Benge called for heads to roll when residents are let down by those who need to act in their best interest.
“Mountains of garbage and waste continue to pile up around Cape Town informal settlements while the City is dragging its feet to take action. Not only has no one been held accountable, but the City is clearly in no rush to address the filthy consequences of this failure.
“Clearly, those in charge did not bother to leave their air-conditioned offices and see for themselves the conditions of some of these informal settlements,” said Benge.
He said residents deserved the truth and transparent answers and for the City’s leadership to urgently clean up the streets.